Chronicle Legion:Volume 1 Glossary

Glossary

Prologue

Sacred Beast (聖獣): Beings equivalent to gods that protect countries and bestow miracles upon them. One after another, they arrived in the world starting in the mid-nineteenth century. There are dozens of them; examples include Romulus and Remus of the Eastern Roman Empire or The Three Lions of the British Empire. They are precisely the ones who resurrected ancient heroes and brought about mysterious powers and beings such as the Legions.

Lord Tenryuu (天龍公): The dragon deity protecting Imperial Japan. 100m in length, his entire body shines with platinum splendor.

Eastern Roman Empire (東方ローマ帝国): The new country founded in the early 20th century by the hero Caesar upon his return to the contemporary world. Currently the empire with the greatest territory in Asia.

Patronus of the Japanese Empress (日本国女皇の保護者): The Eastern Roman Empire's hero, Caesar, providing political and military protection to the Japanese Empress in a fatherly capacity, in the same manner as he had protected Cleopatra the Queen of Egypt before the Common Era.

Resurrectee (復活者): Deceased warriors revived from the ancient past. Confirmed instances include Caesar the ancient Roman hero, Chivalric King Karl the Great of the Frankish Empire, Admiral Nelson the supreme commander of the British Imperial Forces, etc.

Legion (レギオン): Standing eight meters tall, a being with the appearance of an "armed giant with a mask." Most Legions have wings on their backs. They are active both on the ground and in the air.

Chapter 1

Crusade (クルセイド): The British Empire's mainstay Legion model. Massive in physique and exhibiting strong power and speed, its physical specs are outstanding among Legions.

Knights of the Queen (女王騎士): A title bestowed upon heroes of outstanding abilities and accomplishments among the Chevaliers in the British Imperial Forces. Chevalier strength of at least 90 is a minimum requirement.

British Empire (大英帝国): A great empire with Victoria II as the monarch and territory all over the world. Vying against the Eastern Roman Empire for supremacy in East Asia, the British Empire has been aggressively intervening in Imperial Japan's affairs in recent years.

Noetic Control (念導術): A system of techniques for sensing and transmitting noetic waves. Noetic control is a specialty of spirits and familiars but humans with great noetic aptitude are born every now and then.

Genie (念導精靈 / ジーニー): A female self-sustaining noetic spirit, specializing in noetic control and capable of causing various mysterious phenomena. They are actually avatars of noetic divinities, the ifrits, and responsible for listening to human requests and controlling their "main body."

Chapter 2

Kamuy (神威): Imperial Japan's mainstay Legion model. Fierce and agile, Kamuy exhibits greater loyalty than other Legions, showing utmost devotion to the Chevalier to whom it owes allegiance. Nicknamed the "Blue Samurai."

Chevalier (騎士侯): Wielders of the special power to summon Legions. Chevaliers enjoy many privileges and honors because they frequently rush to the front lines to fight on their country and military's behalf. They occupy high-ranking positions in the military as officers and receive preferential treatment in society as a privileged class.

Pipe fox (管狐): A small retainer beast used by the Japanese military, responsible for reconnaissance and relaying commands. Has the ability to teleport but only across short distances.

Territorial Defense Tower (護国塔): The central command tower at a tutelary base. The top level is a genie control room while important facilities such as water shrines were kept underground.

Retainer Beast (随獣): A familiar sent to the human realm by the godlike sacred beasts. Retainer beasts possess mysterious powers and serve mankind. They are mostly used in military and police agencies. Imperial Japan's retainer beasts include pipe foxes and Mibu wolves. They are also called shikigami or tsukaima.

Bayonet Rifle (銃槍): Standard-issue equipment for Legions. A weapon formed by fitting a stabbing blade to a military rifle, allowing it to be used for automatic gunfire or as a spear.

Seiryuu (青龍): One type out of Imperial Japan's four great ifrits, known collectively as the Four Gods together with Suzaku, Byakko and Genbu.

Provincial Army (州軍): The local armed forces independently maintained by each province.

Twelve Fiefdoms (十二将家): The local governments empowered by the Empress to rule each of the twelve provinces of Hokkaido, Ōshū, Hokuriku, Kantō, Tōsandō, Tōkaidō, Kinai, Ōsaka, Chūgoku, Shikoku, Kyūshū, and Okinawa. Like the states in the United States of America, the Twelve Fiefdoms enjoy a very high degree of autonomy. Furthermore, the Kantō Fiefdom maintains close ties to the imperial family and central government. They were the ones who forged the tributary alliance under the suzerainty of the Eastern Roman Empire. Critical of the central faction, the fiefdoms of western Japan are anti-Rome in outlook. The fiefdoms of eastern Japan, excluding Kantō, all take a pro-Imperial family stance.

Fiefdoms (将家) and Governor Generals (総督): Each fiefdom is ruled by a hereditary Governor General. The Governor General's administration is composed of civilian officials and soldiers to assist the Governor General. These Governor Generals essentially hold the same position and authority as feudal lords did in the past during the Edo Period.

Tutelary Base (鎮守府): Among military installations, it refers specifically to "bases where Chevaliers and Legions operate from."

Meteorological Decree (天象勅令): a mysterious weapon allowing weather phenomena to be controlled and used effectively against Legions. Only top-class spirits and retainer beasts are capable of using them. Divided into lightning, wind, rain, snow and other types.

Britain Faction (ブリテン派): Imperial Japan is in a tributary alliance with the Eastern Roman Empire as the suzerain. In recent years, voices have arisen to advocate for signing a "Treaty of Friendship" with the British Empire. This is the so-called Britain Faction.

Protective Barrier (防御結界): A glow enveloping a Legion's body, has the effect of weakening incoming gunfire. In a situation of melee combat, the protective barriers from both parties will cancel out, rendering them ineffective.

Noetic Master (念導術師): Used in a broad sense, the term means "a human possessing noetic aptitude." Such humans are extremely rare. Used in a specific sense, the term refers to "a person who has achieved national certification as a noetic master."

Ifrit (念導神格 / イフリート): Wielding powerful noetic energy, these noetic divinities stand as the highest ranked beings among spirits. Stationed at tutelary bases or military ships, they serve as "guardian deities" to bring about all kinds of supernatural abilities. Genies are their avatars. The avatars are responsible for listening to the requests of their human allies and controlling the main bodies, the ifrits.

Wyvern (翼竜): A mid-sized retainer beast used by the military in every country. Apart from transporting people as flying mounts, they also take on various missions such as reconnaissance, surveillance and anti-personnel combat.

Chapter 3

Restoration Alliance (維新同盟): An alliance that Imperial Japan's Kinai Fiefdom entered with the British Imperial Forces for the purpose of "reforming Japan," raising the banner of rebellion against the central government in Tokyo.

Emperor Karl the Great (カール大帝): Also known as Charlemagne, a Resurrectee in the west standing equal to Lord Caesar in the east. He is the leader who united the countries of Europe to form the Chivalric King Alliance.

Charter of Chivalry (騎士道協定): A product called for by Emperor Karl the Great of the Chivalric King Alliance, ratified with strong support from Generalissimo Caesar and Victoria II, Queen of Britain. These rules of international warfare strictly prohibit wanton violence, atrocities and plunder subjecting civilians to intentional harm, etc... Detractors point out that "one should strive for adherence to this charter, but bluntly speaking, it is nothing more than a public stance of hypocrisy."

Chevalier Strength (騎力): Each Chevalier is only capable of summoning a fixed total number of Legions. This quantity is called Chevalier strength.

Mixed Bath (混浴): The ancient Roman Empire's territory used to cover Europe, spreading Roman baths and bathing customs across the continent. After the Empire collapsed, people continued to indulge in their bathing habits every now and then. However, due to the spread of infectious diseases, public baths were deemed "locations exposing one to the risk of dangerous infections," thus leading to more and more regions giving up bathing and mixed baths...

Retainer Beast Talisman (随獣符): A noetic catalyst made of paper or wood, capable of transforming into all kinds of retainer beasts after being activated using noesis.

Water Shrine (水霊殿): A reservoir of artificial ectoplasmic fluid. An essential facility located underground of every tutelary base.

Noetic Disruption (念導攪乱): An overall term for noetic control techniques to cancel out electromagnetic waves and wireless communications. There also exists a type of noetic disruption that neutralizes noetic waves.

Stronghold (本拠地): When near a water shrine of his/her stronghold, a Chevalier can summon Legions for an unlimited number of times. Furthermore, Legions killed in combat within the stronghold's range can be revived extremely quickly. In principle, a Chevalier can only summon 10% of the Legions supported by his/her Chevalier strength when outside a stronghold. However, the fluid reactor, such as the one installed in the destroyer Tintagel, is a power mechanism driven by artificial ectoplasmic fluid and provides functionality that emulates a water shrine. By using a fluid reactor as a stronghold, a Chevalier can summon 50% of the Legions supported by his/her Chevalier strength, but with the drawback that casualties cannot be revived within the short term.

Appellation (銘): A name or title symbolizing a Feat of Arms. People who inherited an Appellation have the power to summon Legions and can become Chevaliers. These Appellations include "names of warriors who were active in the past," "names of weapons with distinguished backgrounds," "titles or medals awarded to heroes," "names of armies or fortresses," etc.

Tutelary Pact (鎮守の契約): By praying at a water shrine at various locations, a Chevalier can enter a pact to become "a knight in defense of that particular region." After that, the land functions as the Chevalier's stronghold.

Ectoplasmic Fluid (霊液): A blue liquid for enacting various miracles, it is also the power source of Legions, coursing through their bodies like blood. When mass-produced with the aid of sacred beasts, it is known as "artificial ectoplasmic fluid."

Legatus Legionis (レガトゥス・レギオニス): A title of honor used for resurrected warriors from the ancient past—the Resurrectees. The term legatus legionis is Latin for "legion commander." As a means for emphasizing status, it is used relatively infrequently.

Chapter 4

Izumi-no-Kami Kanesada (和泉守兼定): The Japanese sword owned by the Bakumatsu hero, Hijikata Toshizō. It is revived in the modern era due to Tachibana Masatsugu inheriting its Appellation.

War Cry (戰場之歌 / ウォークライ): Roars or howls emitted by Legions from beneath their masks. Has the effects of causing noetic disruption and intimidating retainer beasts or spirits.

Onikiri Yasutsuna (鬼切安綱): A Genji trenchant blade. Its Appellation was inherited by Akigase Rikka. Manifests as a Japanese sword.

Spherical Formation (球状陣形): Used by Legions in flight, a spherical formation allows vigilance and defense in all directions.

Sprite (小型妖精 / スプライト): A small retainer beast used by the British military. Like Japan's pipe fox, it has the ability to teleport.

Vanguard (先鋒): Modern Chevaliers are able to summon their Legions out of thin air. Consequently, it is very difficult to make an accurate prediction before a battle as to how much combat potential the enemy is holding in reserve. The vanguard is in charge of scouting or luring out the enemy's forces, which is quite a dangerous job. Even among Chevaliers, it is considered a post of honor.

Noesis Barrier (念障壁): A shield of noetic energy projected around a tutelary base or a military ship. Since it is created by ifrits, conglomerates of noetic energy, by using a part of themselves, the collapse of a noesis barrier will cause severe damage to the ifrit.

Noetic Officer (念導士官): The overall term for noetic masters enlisted in the military.

Feat of Arms (武勲): A power used by Resurrectees and inheritors of Appellations. This special power enacts miraculous phenomena by recreating illustrious feats of battle from the past.

Feat of Arms—Onikiri no Taichi (武勲《鬼切の太刀》): Onikiri Yasutsuna's Feat of Arms, used by the inheritor to recreate the trenchant blade's legend of "slaying Shuten-dōji, the oni of Ooe-yama." This allows the user of Onikiri Yasutsuna to become a Legion-slaying swordsman.

Packed Formation (密集陣形): Legions enter packed formations in order to strengthen the protective barrier between friendly forces, thus raising defensive power. When comparable numbers of Legions fire upon one another, the majority of shots tend to be neutralized, resulting in a melee showdown to decide the battle.

Mibu Wolf (壬生狼): A mid-sized retainer beast used by Imperial Japan's military, a massive wolf almost the size of a horse. Silver fur. Used for a variety of missions such as combat, security and lookout. In the past, the hero Hijikata Toshizō led Mibu wolves to fight the Meiji administration.

Chapter 5

Chevalier Conferment (騎士敘勳): Inheriting an Appellation and wielding the special power of summoning Legions are not enough for someone to establish their social standing as a Chevalier. They must demonstrate their abilities to either the state or the military in order to obtain Chevalier Conferment. Furthermore, Conferment alone simply endows one with the small privilege of being authorized to carry weapons. In most countries, one can only enjoy a proper Chevalier's privileges and honors by enlisting in the military to become an officer. Chevaliers who retire after completing their military term will retain equivalent privileges as though still in active service.

Tennen Rishin Style (天然理心流): An ancient style of swordsmanship established in the late Edo Period. Incorporates techniques from iai, jujutsu, and stick-fighting. Due to its 4th generation master, Kondō Isami becoming the leader of the Shinsengumi, the school of Tennen Rishin Style became well-known. Many fictional stories depict it as a "plain and rural style of the sword" and this impression has taken root widely. In truth, Tennen Rishin Style enjoys support from the wealthy farming class and is widely practiced with Tama in Bushū as a major center. Due to its subtle techniques combined with systematic theory of the sword, the school has risen to become the most influential faction in Kantō swordsmanship circles.

Hijikata Toshizō (土方歳三): A warrior during the Bakumatsu years, he was the deputy leader of the Shinsengumi serving the Tokugawa Shogunate and known for his decisive and brutal methods. He escaped to Hokkaidō after meeting defeat in the Boshin War at the hands of the Imperial forces of the new government. Thereafter, he led a band of retainer beasts, Mibu wolves, battling across various locations to protect Hokkaidō from the invading Meiji administration. Locally, he became known as the Man-Eating Demon as the subject of stories. He passed away in 1910 at the age of seventy-five.

Feudalism (封建制): A system of government where vassals swear fealty to the king in exchange for territory. With medieval European aristocracy and Japanese samurai society as prime examples, the king did not hold absolute power in such a system. Rather than unconditionally obedient followers, the vassals were more akin to business partners under contract.

Chapter 6

Knight of the Garter (ナイト・オブ・ガーター): A type of Legion only summonable by Sir Black Knight. Very similar to the Crusade in appearance, except both its armor and uniform are black. Can invoke terrifying Feats of Arms such as the "Chevalier de Noir" at Sir Black Knight's command...

Feat of Arms—Gankouken (武勲《雁行剣》): Izumi-no-Kami Kanesada's Feat of Arms, which bestows a katana and Tennen Rishin Style swordsmanship upon every Legion under his command, at the same time recreating the Shinsengumi's "infantry tactics" as taught by Hijikata Toshizō. The orderly flight formation resembles a flock of migratory geese, hence its literal name which means "Geeseflight Sword." There is an identically-named Tennen Rishin Style technique, which is what this Feat of Arms was named after.

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